Association Between Socio-Demographic Factors; Perception and Use of the Healthier Choice Logo Among Thai Adults

Objective: This study aimed to determine the socio-demographic factors associated with the perception and use of the Healthier Choice Logo (HCL) among Thai adults.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional analytic study used secondary data from the 2021 Population Health Behavior Survey conducted by the Thai National Statistical Office, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Thailand. Data on the HCL (n=86,230) were analyzed using logistic regression and adjusted for covariates to identify factors associated with the perception and the use of the logo. Results: Data indicated that 41.5% of participants (n=34,032) understood the HCL on food products and 63.9% (n=21,994) used it when selecting food products. Those with a higher tendency to use it were females (odd ratio (OR) 1.283, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.279-1.286) and individuals aged over 65 years (OR 1.671, 95% CI 1.661-1.681). Additionally, individuals with tertiary education, those living in Bangkok, unemployed persons, and those with an average income of over 15,000 Thai Baht (THB)/month were more likely to perceive and use HCL. Furthermore, those diagnosed with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) demonstrated a higher perception and use of the HCL (OR 1.017, 95% CI 1.014-1.020). Conclusion: Socio-demographic factors are associated with the perception and use of the HCL among Thai adults. Promoting the awareness of HCL is recommended to focus on, males, older age groups, and the population with lower education and economic status.